The ASPCA wanted to take a day out of the year to draw special attention to the plight of horses in our country. We chose April 26 because in 1866 our founder, Henry Bergh, stopped a cart driver from beating his horse, resulting in the first successful arrest for the mistreatment of a horse on April 26. Horses were critical to our mission at the founding of the ASPCA—and they’re just as important now.

Warm, spring weather means more than just tulips and tubetops. It’s flea and tick season! In addition to just being plain uncomfortable, fleas and ticks can cause some serious health problems for our furry friends. Ticks on pets can also transmit Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever to humans. Ick!

These little parasites are tough to fight, but the ASPCA is here to help. Check out our top five tips for keeping your pets itch-free this spring.

1. Fleas and ticks LOVE long grass and shady outdoor spots. Ensure a pest-free lawn by mowing regularly, removing tall weeds and making it inhospitable to common tick hosts, including rodents, by keeping garbage covered and inaccessible.

2. Talk to your vet about choosing the right, species-specific flea and tick treatment for your pet such as a topical, liquid insecticide applied to the back of the neck. PetArmor, the official flea and tick sponsor of the ASPCA, is one option.

3. Never use products for dogs on cats, and vice versa. If you accidentally apply the wrong topical treatment to your pet, please call our poison control hotline (888-426-4435) asap.

4. Treat all of your petsfor fleas, not just those who show outward signs of infestation.

5. During warmer months, it’s also a good idea to check your pet for ticks. If you do spot a tick, take care when removing it to avoid spreading disease.

Earlier this year, we invited animal welfare organizations to apply for one of three $10,000 Volunteer Appreciation Program grants to be awarded during National Volunteer Week—which is happening right now! We couldn’t believe the response we got from more than 140 groups eager to brag about their amazing volunteers. Our experts winnowed the impressive list down to a few finalists, and we asked our own volunteers to vote on the three winners.

Each group will receive a $10,000 grant in recognition of their volunteers’ amazing work for animals. Congratulations, guys!

If you’d like to volunteer, check out our Top 10 Ways to Help Your Local Shelter. If you already volunteer for animals, tell us about it in the comments, or tweet us @ASPCA using the National Volunteer Week hashtag, #NVW!

Did you know that roughly 9 billion animals are raised for dairy, meat and eggs each year in the U.S.? Most of these animals are crammed together by the hundreds or thousands. Not only do these factory farms have poor or nonexistent animal welfare standards—but they’re also environmental nightmares.

Here are the top five ways factory farms are hurting the Earth:

Animal agriculture generates 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, including 9% of carbon dioxide, 65% of nitrous oxide emissions and 37% of methane emissions. Most of that methane comes from belching cows and rotting manure.

In the U.S., confined animals generate three times more raw waste than humans generate. Their manure is commonly stored in open-air “poop lagoons,” which release dangerous toxins such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and methane into the air and leach heavy metals, drugs and other additives given to the animals into the ground water. That’s just gross!

The waste is often used as crop fertilizer and over-applied to nearby fields, resulting in further air pollution and high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the water supply. Excess nitrogen robs water of oxygen and destroys aquatic life.

Factory farms deplete our water by using large volumes for cleaning, cooling and drinking.

The fossil fuels required to raise this staggering number of animals and produce their food emit 90 million tons of carbon dioxide worldwide every year. More than half of the world’s corn is fed to animals, and corn requires more nitrogen fertilizer than any other crop.

After Benjamin B.’s beloved cat, Fat Larry, escaped from his apartment, his roommates thought they found him at the ASPCA. Sadly, this new cat turned out not to be Larry. He was a loveable imposter. Benjamin shared the following bittersweet story with us:

My roommates left our apartment door open and let out my cat, Fat Larry, while I was working my night job. I was upset and in disbelief that my favorite pet in the world had gone missing. Weeks turned into months until finally in December 2010, the ASPCA contacted my roommates about a Tabby cat rescued in Manhattan. They rushed to the shelter and brought the cat back to our apartment.

When I returned home that evening, I discovered a large cat that looked almost identical to my beloved Larry. My roommates tried to convince me it was him. Frustrated with their feeble attempts to restore feline order in our apartment, I named this cat Fat Barry.

At first, Barry was timid, shaky, and despite having a huge belly, seemed to have no appetite. We set him up with a cozy bed, but he spent entire days in our cold, damp tub. If more than one person entered the room, he became paralyzed with fear. After several visits to the vet, I knew Barry was struggling psychologically.

Finally, I decided to bring him upstate to my parents’ house in a quiet, suburban neighborhood in Albany. A few weeks went by and Barry began settling into his new home. He was sleeping in the bed we set up for him and nibbling at his food. Barry was still nervous with multiple people in the room, but he would let one person pick him up and pet him. I was shocked the first time Barry actually jumped on to my lap to request some petting.

I am proud to report that Barry is now the happiest cat in upstate New York. He enjoys rolling around in the grass, and when there’s more than one person in the room, he is content as long as everyone is petting him.

Barry came into my life due to a loss of another cat, but sometimes things happen for a reason. With a little love, all pets can live a happy life.